Buttonhole-stitching clamp.



. J. MORGAN.

BUTTONHOLE STITOHING CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1914.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

TEL tit LI JrMORGAN, 015 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

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specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.,

Application filed. June 19, 1914. Serial Ito. 846,182.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. MORGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Buttonhole- Stitch'ing Clamp, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful implement or clamp for use in hand-working or stitching button-holes and the like. Generally at the present time, so far as I am aware, inhand working or stitching button-holes and the like, the buttonhole worker tightly wraps 01'- Winds the slitted or cut fabric or material-on his or her finger for the purpose of presenting the fabric 'or goods, with the edges of the particular button-hole slit or cut spread apart, for the insertions of the stitching-needle. Such stitching operations are, however, as is generally well known, exceedingly tedious,

are accompanied frequently with more or less painful and serious pricking or sticking of the finger by the stitching-needle, "and often result in unattractive, uneven buttonholes, the thread-stitches being irregular and nonuniform.

The object of my present invention is to provides. simple, easilymade, and readily handled implement or clamp adapted to facilitate the hand working button-holes and the like, the objectionable features and difficulties of hand worln'ng or stitching button-holes and the like as at present and as above mentioned being entirely obviated. By my new implement or I clamp, not only is thefinger of the buttonhole worker fully protected from injury during the stitching operations, but also the fabricor goods, with the edges of the particular button-hole slit, or out properly spread apart, is firmly gripped and conveniently presented for the ready insertions .of i' the stitching-needle, my new implement or clamp at the same time providing a rule or guide for the thread-stitches, with the result that the worked or stitched button-holes are even, uniforin, neat, and attractive in .ap- 'peariance.

With the above object view, my inven- .tion resides in certain novel features of form, arrangement, construction, and combination of arts, allas will hereinafter be described afterward pointed out in the claim.

view through the same,

- throughout the several views,

- aw 1 having preferably rounded,

or stitching of' presented upwardly In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 1s a perspective view ofmy new implement or clamp, showing the same in operative position in connection with apiece of fabric or material in which a button-hole is being stitched or worked; Fig. 2 is a plan view of my new implement or clamp; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the same; Fig. 4: is an enlarged transverse sectional showing a piece of fabric or material operatively clamped or gripped between the jaws thereof as in stitching operations; and Fig. 5 is 'a transverse sectional view through'the implement or clamp, looking in the direction of the jaw-.0 crating members or finger-pieces;

' Re erring to the said drawing, in which like reference characters refer A indicates the lower or under member and B the upper or top member of my new clamp, both said members being of any suitable, preferably sheet metallic, material. Member -A comprises a forwardly extending somewhat; 1ongitudinally elongated clamping-portion or in cross section the shape. or form approximately of an inverted V, the apex or crown thereof being presented upwardly and being preferably as at 2. Projecting rearwardly and oblique] downwardly from jaw 1,- is a preferably at jaw-operating member or fingerspiece 3. Member B likewise com: prises a forwardly extending somewhat elongated clamping-portion or aw ,4 superposed on, and adapted to match and co operate with, lower jaw 1, upper jaw 4L having also in cross section the she e or. form approximately of an inverted At its apex or crown, jaw t is longitudinally cut away to provide intermediateits ends an elongated rectangular slot or opening, as at -5, jaw 4: at its apex or crown to each end of opening or slot 5 being also 7 preferably rounded, as at 6-43. Pro ecting rearwardly and obliquely upwardly from' jaw 4, is a similar preferably flat jaw-operating linember' or finger-piece 7 adapted to cooperate with lower jaw operating-member or fingerpiece3. At its opposite side edges, piece 7 is' laterally bent to provide a air of downwardly-presented lugs or cars 88 adapted to register and cooperate ,witha simllar pair of lateral lugs or eai's 9-9 from lower fingen piece 3. -Having its. ends moted in said iii cooperating pairs of cars or lugs 88 and 99, and pivotally or hingedly fastening members A and B together, is a cross-pin or rivet 10; and coiled onpin or rivet 10 and having its ends resiliently bearing upon the inner faces of said jaw-operating members or finger-pieces 3 and 7, is a coiled spring or the like 11 adapted to yieldingly normally maintain or hold jaws 1 and 4 in closed position or relation with upper jaw 4 at its under face impinging upon the upper face of lower jaw 1.

In use or operation, the cloth or fabric C properly slitted or cut for the button-hole to be made is inserted between jaws 1 and 4, as seen in Fig. 1, jaws 1 and l being spread apart against the resiliency of spring 11 by means of finger-pieces 3 and 7, as will be well understood. Jaws l and l, on closing, not only firmly grip the fabric C, but also at the same time spread the fabric at the edges of the button-hole slit or cut and thus through opening or slot 5 conveniently present the fabric at the button-hole slit or cut for the ready insertions of the stitching-needle, as clearly seen and indicated in Figs. 1 and 4; and in so presenting the fabric, the finger of the worker, being beneath and between the side walls of lower jaw 1, which is of a shape or form preferably to easily fit and be held by the fingers, is fully protected from being stuck, and consequently of being injured, by the stitching-needle. Furthermore, as also seen in Figs. 1 and l, opening or slot 5 in upper jaw 4 affords or provides at its edges a rule or guide for the worker in regulating and determining 'the size of the threadstitches, the worker being thus enabled to readily and easily work or stitch the buttonhole quickly and with even, uniform stitches, resulting in neat, attractive button-holes. To increase the grip of jaws 1 and 4: on the fabric and thereby prevent any possible slipping of the fabric when there etween, upper jaw i is preferably provided with a plurality of indentations, teeth, or the like 12 adapted to register and cooperate with corresponding recesses, perforations, or the like 18 in lower jaw 1.

I am aware that changes in the form, arrangement, construction, and combination of the several parts of my new implement or clamp may be made and substituted for those herein shownand described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The implement or clamp herein described for hand working or stitching button-holes and the like, the same comprising a pair of cooperating superposed jaws pivotally fastened together and adapted to grip the fabric being worked upon therebetween, each of said jaws having approximately the form in cross section of an inverted V and the upper one of said jaws being cut away at its apex to provide intermediate its ends an elongated opening, whereby working access for thread stitches may be had to said fabric upon the lower one of said jaws when said jaws are in closed relation, and means for yieldingly holding said jaws in closed relation, said opening at its edges being also adapted to provide a guide for said thread stitches; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, \VILLIAM J. MORGAN. Vitnesses:

RUTH Parnnson, E. R. Wooos. 

